Chapter V.
Our Voices kept for Jesus.

‘Keep my voice, and let me sing

Always, only, for my King.’

I have wondered a little at being told by an experienced
worker, that in many cases the voice
seems the last and hardest thing to yield entirely to
the King; and that many who think and say they
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have consecrated all to the Lord and His service,
‘revolt’ when it comes to be a question of whether
they shall sing ‘always, only,’ for their King. They
do not mind singing a few general sacred songs,
but they do not see their way to really singing
always and only unto and for Him. They want to
bargain and balance a little. They question and
argue about what proportion they may keep for
self-pleasing and company-pleasing, and how much
they must ‘give up’; and who will and who won’t
like it; and what they ‘really must sing,’ and what
they ‘really must not sing’ at certain times and
places; and what ‘won’t do,’ and what they ‘can’t
very well help,’ and so on. And so when the question,
‘How much owest thou unto my Lord?’ is
applied to this particularly pleasant gift, it is not
met with the loyal, free-hearted, happy response,
‘All! yes, all for Jesus!’

I know there are special temptations around this
matter. Vain and selfish ones—whispering how
much better a certain song suits your voice, and
how much more likely to be admired. Faithless
ones—suggesting doubts whether you can make the
holy song ‘go.’ Specious ones—asking whether
you ought not to please your neighbours, and
hushing up the rest of the precept, ‘Let every
one of you please his neighbour for his good to
edification’ (Rom. xv. 2). Cowardly
ones—telling you that it is just a little too much to expect
of you, and that you are not called upon to wave
your banner in people’s very faces, and provoke
surprise and remark, as this might do. And so
the banner is kept furled, the witness for Jesus is
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not borne, and you sing for others and not for
your King.

The words had passed your lips, ‘Take my
voice!’ And yet you will not let Him have it;
you will not let Him have that which costs you
something, just because it costs you something!
And yet He lent you that pleasant voice that you
might use it for Him. And yet He, in the sureness
of His perpetual presence, was beside you all the
while, and heard every note as you sang the songs
which were, as your inmost heart knew, not for
Him.

Where is your faith? Where is the consecration
you have talked about? The voice has not been
kept for Him, because it has not been truly and unreservedly
given to Him. Will you not now say,
‘Take my voice, for I had not given it to Thee;
keep my voice, for I cannot keep it for Thee’?

And He will keep it! You cannot tell, till you
have tried, how surely all the temptations flee when
it is no longer your battle but the Lord’s; nor how
completely and curiously all the difficulties vanish,
when you simply and trustfully go forward in the
path of full consecration in this matter. You will
find that the keeping is most wonderfully real. Do
not expect to lay down rules and provide for every
sort of contingency. If you could, you would miss
the sweetness of the continual guidance in the
‘kept’ course. Have only one rule about it—just
to look up to your Master about every single song
you are asked or feel inclined to sing. If you are
‘willing and obedient,’ you will always meet His
guiding eye. He will always keep the voice that is
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wholly at His disposal. Soon you will have such
experience of His immediate guidance that you will
be utterly satisfied with it, and only sorrowfully
wonder you did not sooner thus simply lean on it.

I have just received a letter from one who has
laid her special gift at the feet of the Giver, yielding
her voice to Him with hearty desire that it
might be kept for His use. She writes: ‘I had
two lessons on singing while in Germany from our
Master. One was very sweet. A young girl wrote
to me, that when she had heard me sing, “O come,
every one that thirsteth,” she went away and prayed
that she might come, and she did come, too. Is
not He good? The other was: I had been tempted
to join the Gesang Verein in N——. I prayed to
be shown whether I was right in so doing or not.
I did not see my way clear, so I went. The singing
was all secular. The very first night I went I
caught a bad cold on my chest, which prevented me
from singing again at all till Christmas. Those
were better than any lessons from a singing master!’
Does not this illustrate both the keeping from and
the keeping for? In the latter case I believe she
honestly wished to know her Lord’s will,—whether
the training and practice were needed for His better
service with her music, and that, therefore, she
might take them for His sake; or whether the concomitants
and influence would be such as to hinder
the close communion with Him which she had
found so precious, and that, therefore, she was to
trust Him to give her ‘much more than this.’ And
so, at once, He showed her unmistakeably what He
would have her not do, and gave her the sweet
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consciousness that He Himself was teaching her
and taking her at her word. I know what her passionate
love for music is, and how very real and
great the compensation from Him must have been
which could thus make her right down glad about
what would otherwise have been an immense disappointment.
And then, as to the former of these
two ‘lessons,’ the song she names was one substituted
when she said, ‘Take my voice,’ for some
which were far more effective for her voice. But
having freely chosen to sing what might glorify the
Master rather than the singer, see how, almost immediately,
He gave her a reward infinitely outweighing
all the drawing-room compliments or concert-room
applause! That one consecrated song found
echoes in heaven, bringing, by its blessed result,
joy to the angels and glory to God. And the memory
of that song is immortal; it will live through
ages to come, never lost, never dying away, when
the vocal triumphs of the world’s greatest singers
are past and forgotten for ever. Now you who have
been taking a half-and-half course, do you get such
rewards as this? You may well envy them! But
why not take the same decided course, and share
the same blessed keeping and its fulness of hidden
reward?

If you only knew, dear hesitating friends, what
strength and gladness the Master gives when we
loyally ‘sing forth the honour of His Name,’ you
would not forego it! Oh, if you only knew the difficulties
it saves! For when you sing ‘always and
only for your King,’ you will not get much entangled
by the King’s enemies, Singing an out-and-out
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sacred song often clears one’s path at a
stroke as to many other things. If you only knew
the rewards He gives—very often then and there;
the recognition that you are one of the King’s
friends by some lonely and timid one; the openings
which you quite naturally gain of speaking a
word for Jesus to hearts which, without the song,
would never have given you the chance of the word!
If you only knew the joy of believing that His
sure promise, ‘My Word shall not return unto Me
void,’ will be fulfilled as you sing that word for
Him! If you only tasted the solemn happiness of
knowing that you have indeed a royal audience,
that the King Himself is listening as you sing! If
you only knew—and why should you not know?
Shall not the time past of your life suffice you for
the miserable, double-hearted, calculating service?
Let Him have the whole use of your voice at any
cost, and see if He does not put many a totally unexpected
new song into your mouth!

I am not writing all this to great and finished
singers, but to everybody who can sing at all.
Those who think they have only a very small talent,
are often most tempted not to trade with it for their
Lord. Whether you have much or little natural
voice, there is reason for its cultivation and room
for its use. Place it at your Lord’s disposal, and
He will show you how to make the most of it for
Him; for not seldom His multiplying power is
brought to bear on a consecrated voice. A puzzled
singing master, very famous in his profession, said
to one who tried to sing for Jesus, ‘Well, you have
not much voice; but, mark my words, you will
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always beat anybody with four times your voice!’
He was right, though he did not in the least know
why.

A great many so-called ‘sacred songs’ are so
plaintive and pathetic that they help to give a
gloomy idea of religion. Now don’t sing these;
come out boldly, and sing definitely and unmistakeably
for your King, and of your King, and to
your King. You will soon find, and even outsiders
will have to own, that it is a good thing thus to show
forth His loving-kindness and His faithfulness (see
Ps. xcii. 1-3).

Here I am usually met by the query, ‘But what
would you advise me to sing?’ I can only say that
I never got any practical help from asking any one
but the Master Himself, and so I would advise you
to do the same! He knows exactly what will best
suit your voice and enable you to sing best for
Him; for He made it, and gave it just the pitch
and tone He pleased, so, of course, He is the best
counsellor about it. Refer your question in simplest
faith to Him, and I am perfectly sure you will
find it answered. He will direct you, and in some
way or other the Lord will provide the right songs
for you to sing. That is the very best advice I can
possibly give you on the subject, and you will prove
it to be so if you will act upon it.

Only one thing I would add: I believe there is
nothing like singing His own words. The preacher
claims the promise, ‘My word shall not return unto
Me void,’ and why should not the singer equally
claim it? Why should we use His own inspired
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words, with faith in their power, when speaking or
writing, and content ourselves with human words
put into rhyme (and sometimes very feeble rhyme)
for our singing?

What a vista of happy work opens out here!
What is there to prevent our using this mightiest
of all agencies committed to human agents, the
Word, which is quick and powerful, and sharper
than any two-edged sword, whenever we are asked
to sing? By this means, even a young girl may be
privileged to make that Word sound in the ears of
many who would not listen to it otherwise. By
this, the incorruptible seed may be sown in otherwise
unreachable ground.

It is a remarkable fact that it is actually the
easiest way thus to take the very highest ground.
You will find that singing Bible words does not excite
the prejudice or contempt that any other words,
sufficiently decided to be worth singing, are almost
sure to do. For very decency’s sake, a Bible song
will be listened to respectfully; and for very
shame’s sake, no adverse whisper will be ventured
against the words in ordinary English homes. The
singer is placed on a vantage-ground, certain that
at least the words of the song will be outwardly respected,
and the possible ground of unfriendly
criticism thus narrowed to begin with.

But there is much more than this. One feels the
power of His words for oneself as one sings. One
loves them and rejoices in them, and what can be
greater help to any singer than that? And one
knows they are true, and that they cannot really return
void, and what can give greater confidence
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than that? God may bless the singing of any
words, but He must bless the singing of His own
Word, if that promise means what it says!

The only real difficulty in the matter is that
Scripture songs, as a rule, require a little more practice
than others. Then practise them a little more!
You think nothing of the trouble of learning, for
instance, a sonata, which takes you many a good
hour’s practice before you can render it perfectly
and expressively. But you shrink from a song, the
accompaniment of which you cannot read off without
any trouble at all. And you never think of
such a thing as taking one-tenth the pains to learn
that accompaniment that you took to learn that
sonata! Very likely, too, you take the additional
pains to learn the sonata off by heart, so that you
may play it more effectively. But you do not take
pains to learn your accompaniment by heart, so
that you may throw all your power into the expression
of the words, undistracted by reading the notes
and turning over the leaves. It is far more useful
to have half a dozen Scripture songs thoroughly
learnt and made your own, than to have in your
portfolios several dozen easy settings of sacred
poetry which you get through with your eyes fixed
on the notes. And every one thus thoroughly mastered
makes it easier to master others.

You will say that all this refers only to drawing-room
singing. So it does, primarily, but then it is
the drawing-room singing which has been so little
for Jesus and so much for self and society; and so
much less has been said about it, and so much less
done. There would not be half the complaints of
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the difficulty of witnessing for Christ in even professedly
Christian homes and circles, if every converted
singer were also a consecrated one. For
nothing raises or lowers the tone of a whole evening
so much as the character of the music. There
are few things which show more clearly that, as a
rule, a very definite step in advance is needed beyond
being a believer or even a worker for Christ.
Over how many grand or cottage pianos could the
Irish Society’s motto, ‘For Jesus’ sake only,’ be
hung, without being either a frequent reproach, or
altogether inappropriate?

But what is learnt will, naturally, be sung. And
oh! how many Christian parents give their daughters
the advantage of singing lessons without
troubling themselves in the least about what songs
are learnt, provided they are not exceptionally
foolish! Still more pressingly I would say, how
many Christian principals, to whom young lives
are entrusted at the most important time of all for
training, do not give themselves the least concern
about this matter! As I write, I turn aside to refer
to a list of songs learnt last term by a fresh young
voice which would willingly be trained for higher
work. There is just one ‘sacred’ song in the
whole long list, and even that hardly such a one as
the writer of the letter above quoted would care to
sing in her fervent-spirited service of Christ. All
the rest are harmless and pleasing, but only suggestive
of the things of earth, the things of the
world that is passing away; not one that might
lead upward and onward, not one that might touch
a careless heart to seek first the kingdom of God,
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not one that might show forth the glory and praise
of our King, not one that tells out His grace and
love, not one that carries His comfort to His weary
ones or His joy to His loving ones. She is left to
find and learn such songs as best she may; those
which she will sing with all the ease and force
gained by good teaching of them are no help at all,
but rather hindrance in anything like wish or attempt
to ‘sing for Jesus.’

There is not the excuse that the songs of God’s
kingdom, songs which waft His own words to the
souls around, would not have answered the teacher’s
purpose as well. God has taken care of that. He
has not left Himself without witness in this direction.
He has given the most perfect melodies and
the richest harmonies to be linked with His own
words, and no singer can be trained beyond His
wonderful provision in this way. I pray that even
these poor words of mine may reach the consciences
of some of those who have this responsibility, and
lead them to be no longer unfaithful in this important
matter, no longer giving this strangely divided
service—training, as they profess to desire, the
souls for God, and yet allowing the voices to be
trained only for the world.

But we must not run away with the idea that
singing sacred songs and singing for Jesus are
convertible terms. I know by sorrowful personal
experience that it is very possible to sing a sacred
song and not sing it for Jesus. It is easier to have
one’s portfolio all right than one’s heart, and the
repertory is more easily arranged than the motives.
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When we have taken our side, and the difficulties
of indecision are consequently swept away, we have
a new set of more subtle temptations to encounter.
And although the Master will keep, the servant
must watch and pray; and it is through the watching
and the praying that the keeping will be effectual.
We have, however, rather less excuse here
than even elsewhere. For we never have to sing
so very suddenly that we need be taken unawares.
We have to think what to sing, and perhaps find
the music, and the prelude has to be played, and all
this gives quite enough time for us to recollect
whose we are and whom we serve, and to arouse to
the watch. Quite enough, too, for quick, trustful
prayer that our singing may be kept free from that
wretched self-seeking or even self-consciousness,
and kept entirely for Jesus. Our best and happiest
singing will flow when there is a sweet, silent undercurrent
of prayerful or praiseful communion
with our Master all through the song. As for
nervousness, I am quite sure this is the best antidote
to that.

On the other hand, it is quite possible to sing
for Jesus without singing a sacred song. Do not
take an ell for the inch this seems to give, and run
off with the idea that it does not matter after all
what you sing, so that you sing in a good frame of
mind! No such thing! And the admission needs
very careful guarding, and must not be wrested into
an excuse for looking back to the world’s songs.
But cases may and do arise in which it may be right
to gratify a weary father, or win a wayward brother,
by trying to please them with music to which they
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will listen when they would not listen to the songs
you would rather sing. There are cases in which
this may be done most truly for the Lord’s sake,
and clearly under His guidance.

Sometimes cases arise in which we can only say,
‘Neither know we what to do, but our eyes are
upon Thee.’ And when we honestly say that, depend
upon it we shall find the promise true, ‘I
will guide thee with Mine eye.’ For God is faithful,
who will not suffer you to be tempted above
that ye are able, but will, with the temptation, also
make a way (Gr. the way) to escape, that ye may
be able to bear it.

I do not know why it should be so, but it certainly
is a much rarer thing to find a young gentleman
singing for Jesus than a young lady,—a very
rare thing to find one with a cultivated voice consecrating
it to the Master’s use. I have met some
who were not ashamed to speak for Him, to whom
it never seemed even to occur to sing for Him.
They would go and teach a Bible class one day,
and the next they would be practising or performing
just the same songs as those who care nothing
for Christ and His blood-bought salvation. They
had left some things behind, but they had not left
any of their old songs behind. They do not seem
to think that being made new creatures in Christ
Jesus had anything to do with this department of
their lives. Nobody could gather whether they
were on the Lord’s side or not, as they stood and
sang their neutral songs. The banner that was
displayed in the class-room was furled in the drawing-room.
Now, my friends, you who have or may
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have far greater opportunities of displaying that
banner than we womenkind, why should you be
less brave and loyal than your sisters? We are
weak and you are strong naturally, but recollect
that want of decision always involves want of
power, and compromising Christians are always
weak Christians. You will never be mighty to the
pulling down of strongholds while you have one
foot in the enemy’s camp, or on the supposed
neutral ground, if such can exist (which I doubt),
between the camps. You will never be a terror to
the devil till you have enlisted every gift and
faculty on the Lord’s side. Here is a thing in
which you may practically carry out the splendid
motto, ‘All for Jesus.’ You cannot be all for Him
as long as your voice is not for Him. Which shall
it be? All for Him, or partly for Him? Answer
that to Him whom you call Master and Lord.

When once this drawing-room question is settled,
there is not much need to expatiate about other
forms of singing for Jesus. As we have opportunity
we shall be willing to do good with our pleasant
gift in any way or place, and it is wonderful what
nice opportunities He makes for us. Whether to
one little sick child or to a thousand listeners, according
to the powers and openings granted, we
shall take our happy position among those who
minister with singing (1 Chron. vi. 32). And in
so far as we really do this unto the Lord, I am
quite sure He gives the hundred-fold now in this
present time more than all the showy songs or self-gratifying
performances we may have left for His
sake. As we steadily tread this part of the path of
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consecration, we shall find the difficulties left behind,
and the real pleasantness of the way reached,
and it will be a delight to say to oneself, ‘I cannot
sing the old songs;’ and though you have thought
it quite enough to say, ‘With my song will I please
my friends,’ especially if they happen to be pleased
with a mildly sacred song or two, you will strike a
higher and happier, a richer and purer note, and
say with David, ‘With my song will I praise Him.’
David said also, ‘My lips shall greatly rejoice when
I sing unto Thee, and my soul, which Thou hast
redeemed.’ And you will find that this comes true.